Krol still in the dark about whether he will be back at Pirates

Ruud Krol has left for holiday and confirmed he’ll back in the country, but he still couldn’t tell if he’ll be coaching Orlando Pirates next season.

The Dutchman had indicated he would love his future to be sorted out “before the end of this week”, but contacted yesterday just before he left the country, Krol indicated the situation had not changed regarding a new deal.

“Nothing has been finalised at this stage, but I’m definitely going away on holiday,” the Bucs trainer, who won an historic treble with the club but has seen his contract elapse this week, told The Star.

“I will see. Maybe next week there will be something.”

Asked if he would return to the country, Krol said: “Yes, I will be back in South Africa once my holiday is over, but I have no idea if it will be at Pirates. There are things that haven’t been sorted out.”

He would not elaborate, but adding to the confusion was his suggestion that he was aware Pirates, who officially closed for the off-season yesterday, would return for pre-season training on July 3. “I know because I drew up that schedule,” Krol said.

Following his crowning as the Coach-of-the-Year last weekend, the former Netherlands defender indicated he would sign a new deal only if it satisfied him, reasoning a contract could never be one-sided. His three-year deal with Bucs expired this week.

Clinching three trophies in one season would mean Krol’s value has now increased, and knowledge that his players want him to remain at the helm could make him hanker for a bigger salary.

Pirates confirmed on their website they would return to the training ground on July 3, just two weeks before the start of the Vodacom Challenge which includes Tottenham Hotspur and Kaizer Chiefs. “Due to the taxing season that the team has had, we have decided to give the players an entire month off so they can recharge their batteries,” a Bucs statement read.